Friday, July 25, 2014

Let’s Keep the Kids
Active!

Written by
Alexis D’Ascenzo CPT, UIC Dietetic Student

When I became a nanny to numerous families starting
in 2009 I realized more and more that children today are not playing outside as
much as when children used to when I was growing up. I remember the days where
I would wake up early to eat my breakfast as fast as I possibly could so I
could play outside until the sun went down with my friends just to start it all
over again the next day.

However nowadays due to the increased accessibility
and popularity of iPhones, iPads, or video games children are not as active as
they should be. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2012 more than one third of
children and adolescents were overweight or obese.Overweight is defined as having
excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a
combination of these factors.Obesity
is defined as having excess body fat.

As a
personal trainer, I strongly believe in encouraging children and adolescents to
participate in physical activity daily whether that is walking the dog, or
riding a bike. At the end of the day remember anything is better than nothing! In order to decrease the
increasing overweight and obesity rates it is crucial for children to meet
their physical activity recommendations of one hour or more daily. With this
being said, it is important to encourage physical activities that are age
appropriate for your children and adolescents as their interests will vary
greatly.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Summer
is in full swing and kids are enjoying their break from school before starting
another year.Unfortunately, getting
away from the structure of the school day results in many children spending
their new found free time on the couch playing video games or watching
television.A 2007 study in the American Journal of Public Health
reported that the body mass index (BMI) of more than 5,000 kindergartners and 1st
graders increased by twice as much during summer break than during the school
year.It is well known that weight gain
can affect children’s health both physically and mentally, so what can you do
to keep your child active and healthy this summer?

Turn
off the T.V.!Limit the amount of time
your child spends watching television or playing on electronic devices by
giving them a set time when these activities are appropriate, or better yet,
use these activities as a reward for participating in some form of aerobic
exercise that day. Experts recommend 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous
activity a day, but this can be spread out over the course of the day while
still achieving the health benefits.

Make
a calendar that your child is in charge of that marks the things that they are
going to do that week.Before they go to
bed at night, sit down and help them write down the activities that they want
to accomplish the next day.This will
give them some of the structure they had in school but also gives them control
and will make them more likely to participate.

Keep
sporting equipment and toys easily accessible in the house or garage.Tennis rackets, basketballs, hula hoops, and
baseball gloves are more likely to be used if they are seen and available.

Make
it a family affair!Children are more
likely to be healthy and active if their parents are setting an example.Going to the pool together or riding bicycles
is not only great exercise, but is also fun way to spend time with each other.

See
what activities your community has to offer.Summer sports programs, day camps, and outings are sometimes an
affordable way to get your child active and meeting new friends!

So,
get them off the couch and moving!They
will start the new school year healthier and happier and never say the summer
was wasted.

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About TheraCORE

TheraCORE Physical Therapy was established in 2008, by two Doctors of Physical Therapy, with one significant goal in mind: To have experienced therapists deliver personalized care to their patients. This means you will be cared for, at every visit, by a licensed professional who has a working relationship with your physician.